prospect of a speedy dissolution, and referred her to the triumphant language of Paul while death was staring him in the face. This led her to say with tears, "I do not feel so much like that as I should like to feel." I strove to encourage her, prayed with her, and departed. A short time after I met a local brother on the Sabbath, returning from his appointment, who stated that sister Holyer was worse, and wished to see me. Remembering the state of her mind when I left her, I eagerly enquired about her state of mind, and was much pleased on being informed that she was happy; God had favoured her with a "blessed manifestation." The next morning I visited her again, and found her in the possession of sweet peace. She spoke about the "blessed manifestation" which she experienced about a week before, and said that she had the assurance that if God should take her then he would take her to heaven. On a subsequent visit I found her in the same peaceful and confiding state of mind; but she said she should like to have more joy. I remarked that the peace, the assurance which she possessed, was the principal thing. If God gave her peace, she should thank him for it; if joy, she should do the same; but as she was weak perhaps she could not bear much joy. For the purpose of encouraging her I talked about heaven, and getting a little warm exclaimed, "O what a glorious country!" While I was speaking, she was listening, and the eye of her spirit was fixed stedfastly upon that glorious abode of rejoicing millions; and while viewing her eternal home, the place where she expected soon to be, and the happiness of which she expected to enjoy for ever, the enchanting prospect caused her spirit to swell within her, and aloud she shouted, "Glory be to God." Afterwards, in softer accents, she said, "Bless the Lord! Bless the Lord!" How potent, how bliss-inspiring, how ennobling, the influence of christianity! How striking, how perfect, how glorious, its adaptation to the human spirit, even in circumstances of the most painful and solemn character! O grand, benevolent, immortal christianity, thou surely art divine! I visited her again, and found her very weak, and sinking rapidly. I asked if she still felt that all was right, and she made a sign, signifying yes. After reading and praying with her I left her with the impression that I should see her no more in mortal flesh, being about to go into the lower part of the Mission. This impression proved to be a right one. On the Sabbath before her death, she called her husband into her room, and on his entering, she exclaimed in triumph, "The Lord is my portion saith my soul." On the eve of the following Thursday she was restless, and wanted to be moved. She obtained her wish, and then lifted her hand and said, "All is right; all is right; thank God, all is right!" On Saturday, October 29th, 1853, she departed this life. Her death was eminently peaceful. So christianity enables its votaries to pass over the boundaries of time! What a contrast between the death of the Christian, and the death of the infidel. Death to one, is the spirit's happy flight to the land of eternal light; to the other "a leap in the dark". We see in the death of one, the triumph of hope; in the death of the other, the reign of despair. When the ruby lips are becoming pale, the roses fading from the cheeks, the lustre departing om the eye, and when all the crimson currents in the system are chilling through the fatal touch of Death's icy hand, then, O then! how sustaining, cheering, animating, the influences of our celestial christianity; but how depressing, chilling, blasting, the influences of infidelity! I was once in the company of an infidel, when something was said about dying, and was powerfully struck on hearing him say, "It is ridiculous nonsense to talk about death beds." But granting that to say that christianity enables true christians to die in blooming hope, in true peace and triumphant joy, is "ridiculous nonsense"; it is nevertheless a great, bright fact; a fact, like a cloudless sun. Granting that to say that infidelity invariably fails to enable its votaries to die so is "ridiculous nonsense" also, notwithstanding it is a great, black fact! a fact of the sun's magnitude; but, alas! of more than midnight darkness. Granting, moreover, that to say that this difference proves an equal difference in the worth and origin of the systems, is "ridiculous nonsense"; but in spite of this, it is a truth, a great, indestructible truth. And even in this very "ridiculous nonsense," we have a demonstration of the absolute reasonableness of the well known prayer, "Let me die the death of the righteus; and let my last end be like his." On the evening of November 6th, 1853, a funeral sermon was preached by the writer, S. POLLARD. MEMOIR OF JANE RODDA. JANE RODDA, the subject of this memoir, was born in the parish of St. Blazey, in the county of Cornwall, but removed with her parents and the rest of the family from thence to Newquay, about five years ago. Her father, HENRY RODDA, foreman of those extensive works which have been in operation there for some years past, carried on by the executors of the late J. T. Treffry, Fsq, in erecting barriers against the fury of the mighty waters, that the affrighted mariner may take shelter awhile, till the enraged elements of wind and water again become calm so that he may pursue his trackless course across the ocean, and "do business in deep waters." The family first became known to the writer a little more than four years ago, when a glorious revival of religion among the Bible Christians was going on at St. Columb Minor, and numbers of souls were born there. It was during this revival that Henry and his wife, night after night, in spite of a long walk and dirty roads, might be seen and often heard too, in the little chapel at that place. It appears that previous to their coming to Newquay, the husband and wife, with their daughter Jane, were united with the Primitive Methodists, at St. Blazey; but the husband's avowed enemy, alcohol, threw him down, and his garments became filthy. How it was with the wife, I know not; but Jane, in the slippery path of youth, had turned aside also. But, blessed be God, Henry might now say, "Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; for though I fell, by the help of my God I am risen again ;"-for he wended his way to the fountain open for sin and uncleanness, got washed from his filthiness, is now a local preacher, and in order to steer clear, and be safe, is also a teetotaler. His wife too has been a member with us from that time. There being at that time no society belonging to our denomination at Newquay, they threw open their doors for prayer, when a little band from St. Columb Minor went certain nights in the week to assist in carrying on meetings. Their prayers appeared for some time to have no effect on the people; but very few attended, and those engaged were getting dispirited; but things after awhile assumed a brighter aspect, and those who had been sowing in tears, began to reap in joy. A revival at last broke out, and Jane was one of the first to feel the burden of her sins, and to cry for mercy. After struggling for some time, her father and others praying in her behalf, she stepped into the liberty of God's children, and rejoiced in him who died for all. She ran well for some time, but being deprived of the means of grace in consequence of bodily indisposition, she grew cold, and lost the power of religion in the soul, although she always received her ticket, and was recognised as a member among us. I have seen her often while she was in this state: when she would express the disquiet and miserable feelings of her mind, and could not rest here; again she sought after God in good earnest, and obtained, it is believed, that peace which passeth knowledge. But her company and fellowship with us after this was of short duration; her melodious voice, which used to ring through the chapel (for we have now a commodious one built) has ceased on earth, but we have no doubt of her singing "more sweet, more loud," among the blood-washed throng in glory. It appears that from childhood she never enjoyed very good health; but about eight weeks before her death she was seized very violently with most excruciating pains in her limbs, particularly in one leg. Her father carried her to bed, where she lay just in one position for about five weeks, when she was taken out for a short time, and on being again put back lay another three weeks, and then her soul took flight for the heavenly land, where there is no death. For some time after she was taken to her bed, her pains were uncommonly severe. On one occasion she said to her father who was watching by her, she hoped the Lord would remove the pain from her leg, and added she believed he shortly would ; and very soon after, all pain was taken away; God answered her prayer. Another request she made to her heavenly Father and that was to have a more clear evidence of her acceptance, and that too was granted, and she sang the praises of God, and shouted victory through Jesus Christ. "I shall soon die," said she. "You have youth on your side, my dear," said one who loved her. "I have had it revealed to me," she said, "that I shall die young." Being asked by a friend who came to see her if she would like to live in the world, she said, "I have a desire to depart, and be with Christ; nevertheless, if it should be the Lord's will that I remain on earth, be it so." Being asked if she had any temptations, she replied, "Yes; satan tempted me yesterday that Jesus would leave me in the midst of the river; but, bless God, it is all clear now! He will never leave nor forsake me! Bless his holy name." O! what a consolation is religion on a sick bed, with death staring one in the face. On first entering the chamber, and beholding her stretched on the bed of affliction, she appeared the most pitiable object imaginable; not so in reality. A queen might envy her situation; for she had Christ within, the hope of glory, and only to be faithful a little while, to have a crown of life. "Bless the Lord, O my soul!" was her language. Very often would she be singing the praises of God, particularly the following: "In the midst of the valley, I'll triumphantly cry, If this then is dying it's a pleasure to die." The youthful part of her class mates came to see her often, when she would request them to sing some favourite hymns. On one occasion they appeared rather reluctant, "Why can't you sing," said she, and upbraided them for their unwillingness; and as well as her strength would allow her, she sang herself. In this happy state of mind she continued, experiencing,— "Not a cloud doth arise, to darken the skies, Or hide for a moment, the Lord from my eyes." Her body gradually sinking till the eighth week of her sickness, and on Wednesday, July 6th, she expired, almost without a struggle, being about 17 years of age. The following Friday her body was conveyed to its resting place,-awaiting a resurrection with the just. The following hymn according to her request, was sung at the funeral,—— "One more precious saint's ascended To the lofty throne of God; To redeem her by his blood." &c. Thus lived and died JANE RODDA. "O may we triumph so, N. LEWARNE. MISCELLANEOUS. A FRIENDLY HINT TO PROFITLESS HEARERS OF THE WORD. I have frequently remonstrated from the pulpit, as well as in my visits from house to house, against the very pernicious practice of gossipping on the way to and from the house of prayer. Overtake a company of two or more persons on their way to the chapel; about what are they conversing? Speak they of the things of God? No, but they converse on the hear-says, dare-says, and suppose-so's of the past week. The consequence is, their prayers, if prayers they may be called, are powerless. God is mocked by their cold formality, or offended at their unmeaning sighs and groans; and the conversion of souls is prevented. The service is ended. What a buzz in the aisles and lobby. "How are you?" "What a stranger you are!" "How pleased I am to see you looking so well! When did you hear from last ? how was she ?" These and other inquiries may be heard from fifty voices in quick time. Satan is busy sowing tares among the wheat. Let us join a party on their way home. The war between the Russians and Turks, politics in general, the Queen's Ministers, Parliament, are the themes. Join another party; they are conversing on agriculture; another, and you hear, "Did you observe Miss-? how gay! I liked the colour of her dress very much, but her bonnet-the shape was ghastly! I have no patience with people making themselves such frights!" If we are to judge of the sermon by what we have heard these parties converse about, it was a rare specimen of Pulpit eloquence. Others are to be found, who, on their way home, and after they arrive at their habitations, converse very freely about the service, particularly about the sermon, many of whom in their zeal for criticism content themselves with picking up the chaff, and the wind of worldliness covers the good seed with rubbish, or the fowls of the air consume it. The few who speak favourably of the sermon praise the agent, not his master; the creature, not the Creator; they give the glory to man, not to God. These things being so, is it any marvel that God's truth profits those who hear it so little? Is it to be wondered at, that so few rebels are subdued? This practical infidelity on the part of our churches and congregations is by far the worst infidelity in the land!" "Woe to them that are at ease in Zion !" One of the Society of Friends once said to the pious Henry Longden, "I have frequently observed when thy people go to worship, they talk about buying and selling, or any other worldly project, till they arrive at the very thresh-hold of the meeting, but whenever thou seest a Friend going to meeting, he walks in silence, inattentive to all he sees and hears, seeking a preparation in the temple of his heart, to wait upon God who is a Spirit. When thy people come out of meeting, it is like the disturbing of a bee-hive. Every one has his calls to make, his messages to deliver, or instructions to receive. When all this is ended, some friend is waiting for him, according to appointment, to inquire how he liked the Preacher, &c; the reply probably is, He is an excellent preacher! what a flow of language! how zealous he is! This is one of the best sermons I ever heard, &c: whereas if thou wert to see the Friends when they come out of meeting, thou wouldest see each retire in silence; for though he is not in the meeting-house, he is conscious of the presence of that Being who filleth immensity, and who maketh the heart of the contrite his habitation. And if any remarks be made on a speaker among us, they are of this kind, I think friend has been favoured to day,' ascribing all the praise to whom it justly belongs.' Reader, go thou and do likewise. ALL IS WELL. ALPHA. By nature I am a sinner and a rebel against my Maker and God. I am an enemy to God and his government; my heart is alienated and at enmity against my most gracious Benefactor; but by grace I am saved; all is well. I renounce sin and come to God for salvation through Christ. I receive it by faith, and have the approbation of God and the testimony of a good consience, which affords me greater satisfaction, and to me is of greater importance, than worlds." All is well. A consciousness of the approbation of God sends me on to the day of death without alarm, and to the solemn Tribunal without consternation. All is well. Now let my winged hours hasten on, the wheels of nature cease to move, the vital current to flow; yea, this moment let the curtain of mortality drop, and the full blaze of eternity burst upon my astonished sight. All is well. Let the voice of the Archangel and the trump of God be sounded throughout the universe, and the noise of thunders and lightnings and earthquakes shake the globe to atoms. All is well. Let the elements melt and wrap the earth in living flames, and let the flames of the upper and nether worlds meet |